For the record, Im aware of the mixed feedback about Pearl Farm. The hell I care, beauty is subjective. What's awesome for me could be ordinary to you, and vice versa (ahem El Nido). First hand experience always matters to me, not hearsays and raves. Besides, what's a trip in Davao without visiting the famed Pearl Farm Beach Resort in Samal island.

the ultimate luxury is time

charot! ^_^

Rob made an online reservation some weeks ahead of our birthday trip. Since it's already the lean season, he only paid P6,400 for an overnight stay in a Samal House. This also includes buffet breakfast for two. Thank you Rob! Tip: Book directly with the resort. It's cheaper compared to Agoda and other booking sites.The Marina wharf is just a short drive from Park Inn by Radisson. From there, we just confirmed our reservation and waited for the boat. Since we chose to go there on a Sunday, not much guests are around.

the Marina wharf has a pool. sushal!

The Resort In all fairness, the 45-min boat ride to Pearl Farm became comfortable because of the foam-cushion seats.

hello Pearl Farm!

the most famed Parola in Pearl Farm

True enough, website photos are always more amazing than the actual place. Pearl Farm Resort looks good but not really outstanding. For the record again, it's actually better than Club Tara in Siargao where the website is sooo awesome, but in reality walang wow factor. Sorry fans.

these Samal Suites really brought a tropical ambiance to the resort

the rate is P9,000 per person per night

Samal Houses, same stilt house style with the Samal Suite but without the loft.

Welcome drinks were served upon our arrival. The resort looks simple at first glance, but it's okay. As long as it is peaceful and clean, I'll keep my mouth shut. =)

lounge chairs fronting the beach

After the briefing, we immediately proceeded to our room. Our Samal House is the nearest accommodation from the reception area. Lovely. Siguro alam nilang tamad kami maglakad? There's a shuttle yes, but you have to call first and wait for the service.

our Samal House is the nearest room from the reception area. super like!

Samal HouseOver the years (yuck long time ago na talaga), I've been loving to do hotel room photography. However, this Samal House is very difficult to photogrpah. Not enough artificial light + strong natural light = napakahirap picturan na room. Argh!! Good thing, I brought this Nissin Speedlite, else I'll never be satisfied with my photos.

Samal House

twin beds with comfy mattresses

from another angle

Okay, the room is not new but I think the rustic feel is what Pearl Farm is aiming for. Foreigners wold pay more just to have a native room like this.

very inconvenient bathroom style

i hate it, bakit magkahiwalay ang toilet at shower area?

sink area

Pearl Farm toiletries

Nonetheless, the bathroom is the only area I disliked. Ang inconvenient talaga.Moving on, all Samal Rooms have this fantastic sea view.

behind the door is the fantastic view of the sea

bench on our veranda

now this is how it feels like to live in a stilt house

the underwater life just beneath our stilt house

view from our room

The FoodUnfortunately, the restaurant in the Parola and the infinity pool are under renovation. The management built this temporary restaurant by the beach. Honestly, it looked cheap, pero pwede na.

temporary restaurant by the beach

grilled chicken (P450) and 2 peanut butter banana milk shakes (P360)

As expected, the food are expensive. Same goes with the other exclusive resort food like in Misibis Bay, Bellarocca, etc. Since the grilled chicken alone costs P450, we decided to just have a light snack in the afternoon and avail the buffet dinner later on.We strolled the resort after eating. Lakad lakad. IMHO, there are more beautiful resorts in the Philippines compared to Pearl Farm. It would just take time to build a name and a reputation to be famous. Now being famous has a price.

fire alarm, char!

Mandaya Houses are located near the pool.

At 6:30pm, we proceeded to the restaurant again to avail the buffet dinner. The rate is P950 per person. Honestly, I didn't set any expectations because a lot of people I know told me that the buffet in Pearl Farm is so so. To my surprise, the buffet spread is good. They served Chicken Cordon Bleu, Pork Sirloin something, Stir Fried Veggies, Tanigue, Creamy Soup, Salads, Sushi, and Fruits.

buffet dinner is served!

the buffet spread

To my bigger surprise, the restaurant offered a live station area for
stir fried prawns, crabs, and squids! Sulit! The buffet dinner rate also
includes unlimited servings of fruit juice.

stir fried seafood station

Indeed, I enjoyed the taste of each dish. I liked the soup, the bread, and everything I placed on my plate! Haha

my dinner plates. what diet?

my 2nd round of stir fried prawns and crabs

Availing this buffet is much cheaper compared to getting ala carte meals. The dishes were good. The staff were very attentive. What I appreciate most is how the staff continuously refilled the food from 6:30pm to 10pm. Maybe this is what the management gives in return of the renovation inconvenience.

oldies but goodies

And oh, these oldies but goodies entertained us through their soothing songs. They mostly sang Beatles songs and the likes. The applause was harder when they sang a Justin Bieber song for the finale. Astig. The Beautiful MorningLike what others said, mornings are really beautiful in Pearl Farm, and I agree.

By 9AM, the day tour guests arrived. Andami nila, as in 2 big boats. The day tour rate in Pearl Farm costs P1,850 on weekdays and P2,500 on weekends. It's pricey, right? But for just a little more money, why not avail the overnight stay. Remember, Rob got our Samal House for only P6,400. Basically it means P3,200 for each person. The Hilltop rooms are cheaper for sure. So if you plan to visit Pearl Farm, go for an overnight stay. Compute compute din pag may time. ^_^Moving on...

Pearl Farm pool area

gorgeous view of the pool and nature

one lovely spot in Pearl Farm

Some day tour guests spent their time in this pool, but most of them went to Malipano private beach area. It's a small island across Pearl Farm.Malipano Private Beach AreaThe boat transfers guests from Pearl Farm to Malipano every 30 mins. Malipano island has luxurious villas and each villa has its own private beachfront. Now that's luxurious. The rate? P9,500 per night, minimum of 6 persons. That's more or less a whooping P55,000 per villa!

Malipano island

Since there are lots of day tour guests which arrived on that day, the Malipano island easily became crowded. The front beach area is not really good for my standards so Rob and I walked through the golf course to see what's on the other side of this island.

lush green view in Malipano

as they say, the grass is greener on the other side. true!

The view is real good, but when we glimpsed upon the private beach, Rob started running towards it. We were so excited. No other guests were there.

wow for this Malipano private beach area

I heard this area is exclusive for the Malipano Villa guests, but luckily for us, no one was occupying any of the villas. We enjoyed this area all by ourselves.

three lounge chairs and zero crowd

featuring the powdery white sand

While all other guests were flocking the entrance area, we were enjoying this exclusive beachfront all by ourselves.

the ultimate luxury is time. char!

The whole area is peaceful and relaxing. The sand is white and fine. The water is very calm. We both agreed that this is the best part of our Pearl Farm trip.

spot my blue umbrella. hehe

the best part of my Pearl Farm experience

swimwear c/o my last minute shopping in SM The Store in Lanang ^_^

that's me swimming in this bluish green calm waters

Rob having a great time too

For the record, I like having weekend getaways like this one. This is enough to satisfy my wanderlust. It never crossed my mind to quit my job and do long-term traveling. It surely is great, but that's not for me. I always get bored. When Im in the office, I get bored and long for a travel. When Im traveling, I get bored too and look forward to going home and working again. I just like something which I can look forward too.

Work is fun though I can't keep my still, specially when my boss understands that Im a traveler. He reminded me that "if you cannot take a vacation leave or you cannot break free from work even you're on a vacation, then you are a company slave. Everyone is important (we're only 14 in the company) but no one should be too important."Katuwa no? And my boss just approved my 2-week leave for India. Yehey! ♥

Okay okay, going back...

Im not an anti-social creature, but most of the time, I just appreciate the place more if not much people are around. Rob and I killed time in this area and enjoyed every minute of it. Finally, we could say that it's a great getaway.

a speed boat ride back to the main island

Manong driver offered to take our photo in front of the parola. Nice no?

thank you Rob and happy birthday too!

We rushed to our room and took a bath quickly. It was really annoying when the electricity was shutdown at 12noon. The staff could have extended our stay for at least 15mins beyond the check out time. This is the first time I experienced this.Overall, Pearl Farm is still the must-see beach resort in Davao. The resort is not really that fabulous and luxurious, unless you will be staying in one of the Malipano Villas with its own private beachfront. Anyway, the resort has on-going renovations so Im expecting a better Pearl Farm when I do revisit, in time. The beach? It wont be included in my list of top 10 best beaches, pero siguro 11th spot siya. Pwede na di ba? Kung sapat lang ba ang presyo sa satisfaction na nakuha namin? My answer is YES. For 3,200 per person, I dont think nalugi kami, specially when we're able to enjoy the breakfast, the stilt house room, amenities, and quality service + the free transfers. Like in any other resorts, if the rate would be cheaper, it would surely get crowded. Get the picture? More expensive = less crowd. You pay extra for the little privacy. =)

After 3 attempts, I finally set foot in Davao!2011 - Everything was set, until a typhoon hit Manila. Our area was so flooded that there was no way I can go to the airport.2012 - Again, all was set and resort bookings were already paid. The unfortunate thing? We arrived late for our flight. Stupid I know, specially when our apartment is just 15mins away from the airport. Toinks2013 - Davao at last! ♥

a sunny weather on our flight to Davao

Before, I'd always seek for new adventures in a place. I would squeeze all activities on my weekender trip. The least priority would be a good and long sleep at the end of the day. My trips never meant a relaxing vacation at all... But those were the days. Right now, all I want is nothing but relaxation and a good time. I came to Davao without any itinerary at all, only a reservation in this 3-month old hotel in the city.

eye-catching pick up service

As Rob and I stepped out of the airport, the driver from Park Inn by Radisson Davao was already waiting for us. He instructed us to wait in the shed while he get this colorful car. Park Inn just started its operation last March of this year. It is just 15 minutes away from the airport, and a short drive to Marina wharf (we also planned a night in Pearl Farm on the following day!) Actually, Park Inn is not located in the city center and I am extremely happy for that. Aside from the traffic, the downtown area gets flooded too. Park Inn is located in a premiere area.

the new Park Inn Hotel by Radisson Davao which is across SM Lanang Premiere

the colorful shuttle services of Park Inn

As expected, Park Inn looked very fresh and pleasant. I loved the vibrant feel of this newly built hotel. All the staff were accommodating and helpful too. We arrived ahead of time but they gladly told us that our room was ready.

checking in was a breeze

modern and stylish reception area

pleasant to the eyes

..and i just loved the color and the design of this hotel

The standard room in Park Inn costs P3,900 - this already includes breakfast for two. Right after the staff handed our key card, we went directly to our room. To our surprise, we were given a corner room in the highest floor. How lovely!

the 8th floor is themed in blue!

our corner room

The standard room reflects a harmonious blend of modern and contemporary styles. The amenities are so fresh and we both loved the smell of this new hotel room.

Standard Room in Park Inn by Radisson Davao

The room looked stylish and the colors blended well. The beds looked and felt very comfortable. The free high-speed internet kept us connected. Actually the first thing I did is upload a photo of this room in my FB account. Hihi

Aside from the cozy beds, the room also had a well-appointed work station which is beside the window. To my surprise, a birthday cake awaited me in there. ♥

well-appointed work station

aaww, thank you Park Inn for this surprise ♥

Of course, the usual amenities like LCD TV, personal fridge, and coffee set were all available.

cabled tv and dvd for in-room entertainment

an addition to my hotel paper pad and pen collection

Now the bathroom. The rain shower will always be my favorite amenity in a hotel room. Added bonus was the Dove shower cream which was available in the soap dispenser. Super like.

classy bathroom with toiletries and fresh towels

classy bathroom

laba-laba din pag may time. haha

this happened on the 3rd night because all flights in Davao were cancelled. =(

every bath time was a delight under this rain shower

It was hard to leave this room, but we decided to check out the pool and fitness area on the 2nd floor. This just showed that Park Inn is not only a business hotel, but it can also be great for leisure.

outdoor pool on the 2nd floor roof deck

The pool area is impressive. Rob and I immediately scheduled our swim.

i'm impressed

For our late lunch, we were invited by ate Lea and her cool husband John at SM Lanang Premiere. This mall just opened last September 2012 so it was also relatively new. The great thing was, this SM is interconnected with Park Inn. How convenient!

Park Inn is connected to SM Lanang via a bridge way

instant famous landmark in the area

this is just located between Park Inn and SM Lanang

Ate Lea introduced me to this restaurant. Hog's Breath Cafe is the first and only Hog's branch in the Philippines.

this is also heavenly. i cannot wait to have this once Hog's opens its branch in Alabang.

natural prime rib steak (P1095)

tender and tasty

Awesome awesome awesome! I highly recommend Hog's Breath Cafe.I know I should've tried a classic Davaoneno restaurant, but I am extremely happy that ate Lea introduced this us to. The food were all great. Thank you ate Lea for all the help you provided. Im very lucky to have known a kind local specially when the airport accident happened. Im really very grateful for all the help.

Actually, I dined here once again on my last night in Davao - together with the Mendoza family. Thank you sir Cenen for the treat, photography lessons, and of course for letting me join your rented van to GenSan airport. We survived the stressful and chaotic way back to Manila. =)

Moving on, getting back to the hotel was effortless. We conveniently bought our toiletries and anything we needed because SM was just across Park Inn.

the bridge way to Park Inn

the lobby looked more elegant at night

im a satisfied and happy guest

We had another look at the pool for surely this will look fabulous at night as well. And it actually did.

the lovely pool by night

..and this was the best thing in return of the cancelled flights

note: the accommodation was not provided by the airline.

The room package included buffet breakfast for 2 adults. We had a very good sleep so we almost didn't catch the breakfast at RBG. Good thing, we did. There's not much people when we arrived, maybe because it's already late. Hehe

breakfast by RBG

RBG is themed with the colors of red, black, and white.

The selection was good too. There's a variety of bread, fruits, salad station, cereals, pancakes, wanton soup, and of course - the classic Filipino favorites.

small yet good selection of breakfast

Filipino favorites

cream dory, beef tapa, and pork & beans

not in the picture are the pancake, soft roll, and cereal

Overall, we had a great stay in Park Inn. The location is very convenient. I love the vibrant feel of this new hotel. The room was modern, very cozy, and enjoyable. It was a big help to have a high speed internet specially when I was checking out flights and other routes over the web, after the Davao airport was suddenly non-operational.

til next time Park Inn, thank you!

I highly recommend this hotel for business and leisure trips. Rob and I had a comfortable, fun, and enjoyable stay. Im already looking forward to my next Park Inn experience. =)